Backpack and Waist Bag Carrying System

ABSTRACT

A backpack and cooperating waist bag carrying system is provided. The bag portion of the backpack releasably contains the receiver of a waist bag when the belt of the waist bag is secured around the bearer&#39;s waist and the backpack is worn on the bearer&#39;s back. The receiver of the waist bag can be moved without having to take off the backpack so that the receiver of the waist bag is disposed to the bearer&#39;s front and the bearer can gain access to the contents the receiver. The bearer can then move the receiver back to the lower region of the backpack. The combination of the backpack and the waist bag then will appear to be a normal backpack with a waist belt. While moving the receiver, the waist bag remains operatively connected to the backpack.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 60/676,257, filed on Apr. 30, 2005 for a “Backpackand Rotating Waist Bag Carrying System,” by Douglas Harland Murdoch andMichael Sturm, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

FIELD

The field of the disclosure is that of carriers for articles to be borneby animate bearers, and, in particular, that of backpacks.

BACKGROUND

A sports or outdoors photographer often will wear a backpack in order tocarry his or her photographic equipment as well as her other gear.Equipment that is stored in the backpack is not readily available,however, because the photographer will have to remove the backpack fromits normal position on his or her back or posterior side and shift thebackpack to her front or anterior side in order to gain access to acompartment in the backpack. A photographic opportunity often isfleeting and can be missed due to the time needed to obtain a camerafrom the backpack. Alternatively, the photographer simply may not wantto stop and remove the camera from the backpack due to the effortrequired.

A photographer wearing a backpack may choose to keep his or her cameramore available for ready use by hanging it by a strap from his or herneck. This can be an awkward way to carry a camera for any length oftime and exposes the camera to rain, collision, abrasion, dust, andtheft. Alternatively, the camera could be contained in a case suspendedfrom a shoulder strap, the sternum strap or the waist belt of thebackpack or carried in a pocket of a garment worn by the photographer,such as a vest. These methods of carrying a camera will be awkward orimpossible if the camera is large, such as a modern single lens reflexdigital camera with a detachable lens. In addition, the camera will notbe as protected as it would be in the backpack. Furthermore, other,perhaps untrustworthy, persons will be able to observe that thephotographer is carrying a large and expensive camera.

Alternatively, the photographer may carry his or her camera in a waistbag (also known as a “belt pack,” “lumbar pack,” “lumbar bag” or “waistpack”). A waist bag provides some protection for the camera from rain,collision, abrasion, dust, and theft as well as being a comfortablemeans for carrying a large camera. A waist bag also is desirable becauseit can be rotated from a comfortable position at the photographer's backto his or her front where the contents, such as a camera, will bereadily available. Users become uncomfortable when wearing a waist bagon the front of the body for an extended period of time and will want toreturn the waist bag to the more comfortable position on the back of thebody.

However, wearing a backpack is incompatible with wearing a waist bagbecause the waist belt of the backpack, if it has one, will tend tointerfere with the use of the waist bag. The backpack will also preventit from being rotated to the more comfortable position on thephotographer's back or posterior side because the backpack will be inthe way.

Accordingly, photographers who need ready access to a camera incombination with a carrying system that will provide protection for thecamera from rain, collision, abrasion, dust, and theft as well as havinga comfortable means for carrying a large camera will tend to choose awaist bag but at the cost of not being able to simultaneously carry abackpack. This is a difficult choice for photographers in the field,particularly for those who must carry large amounts of photographic gearsuch as additional lenses, camera bodies, and a monopod or tripod, andpossibly large amounts of non-photographic gear such as food, water,sunscreen, clothing, and other essentials.

Persons who are not necessarily photographers, such as backpackers,climbers, hikers, birdwatchers, and so forth, would find that a carryingsystem combining the advantages of both backpacks and waist bags willprovide ready access to needed gear or other items while providingprotection of the gear and other items from rain, collision, abrasion,dust, and theft, in addition to having the greater carrying capacity ofa backpack.

Other designers have attempted to provide carrying systems combining theadvantages of both backpacks and waist bags. A number of manufacturershave provided backpacks with a pocket, such as the top flap pocket, thatcan be detached from the backpack and either has a built-in belt or maybe attached to a belt so that the pocket can be worn as a waist bag.Detaching the pocket will require the person wearing the backpack toremove the backpack from his or her back in order to reach the pocketand deploy it into its waist bag configuration. As noted above, however,the backpack and the waist bag will interfere with each other if theperson tries to wear both at the same time.

An alternative approach is to provide a waist bag with a concealableextension and shoulder straps attached to the extension so that thewaist bag can be converted into a backpack. This system does not providethe advantages of a backpack and a waist bag at the same time: one mustchoose one or the other configuration.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,770 to Covell for a “Convertible Waist Bag, DayBackpack and Shoulder Bag” discloses a multiple use pack that may bemodified into any one of one of three types of packs or bags by openingor closing a zipper. As noted in connection with the above discussion ofthe waist bag with a concealable extension and shoulder straps attachedto the extension, the bearer must choose one configuration at a time andcannot obtain the benefits of two configurations at once. U.S. Pat. No.5,964,384 to Young for a “Traveling Bag with Expandable Storage Volume”also provides a multiple use pack that may be modified into a waist bag,a shoulder bag (a bag intended to be carried from a single strap passingover the top of one shoulder of the bearer) or a backpack, but only oneconfiguration at a time is permitted, as with Covell.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,495 B2 to Sagan for a “Bifurcated Carrier Pack forTransporting Recreational Equipment” discloses a carrier pack forequipment such as a snowboard that can be worn as a backpack or in anunusual hip-mounted position in which the shoulder straps encircle thelegs. The bearer must choose one or the other configuration for wearingat one given time. As with Covell and Young, the bearer cannot obtainthe benefit of a waist bag and a backpack at the same time.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,527 to Von Neumann for “Modular Backpack” disclosesa four-bag or unit modular backpack in which the middle bag may beremoved from the main bag and used by itself as a waist bag. The bagcomponents are connected with zippers or snaps. The main bag hasshoulder straps and is usable as a backpack by itself or joined with themiddle bag and a lower bag. Once the main and middle bags are separated,however, the bearer may be able to wear the waist bag and the main bagat the same time because the main bag is fairly short and should nothang down the wearer's back so far as to prevent the shifting of thewaist bag to the rear as long as the wearer leans forward. Von Neumann,however, does not provide a modular backpack with a readily deployablewaist bag. The person wearing the Von Neumann modular backpack will haveto remove the modular backpack from her back in order to unfasten themiddle bag from the main bag in order to wear the middle bag as aseparate waist bag, which will be necessary if he or she wishes to wearit on his or her front side. Furthermore, once the middle bag isseparated from the main bag it cannot be reattached to the main bagwithout taking off the bags in order to operate the zippers or snapsthat connect them.

Perhaps the closest example known to the inventors of a carrying systemcombining the advantages of both a backpack and a waist bag is the OrionAW “beltpack/backpack” sold by Lowepro. The Orion AW “beltpack/backpack”has an upper pack that is connected to a waist bag with side releasebuckles. The user can release the waist bag from the upper pack byunfastening the side release buckles and then rotating the waist bag tothe front. The user may then rotate the waist bag back under the upperpack but will encounter difficulty in reconnecting the upper pack to thewaist bag by fastening the side release buckle halves to each other.(See http://www.lowepro.com/images/downloads/orionaw.pdf; accessed 27April 2006.) Some gymnastics will be necessary. In fact, some users findthis operation to be impossible due to corpulence or lack of agility.

The waist bag must be reconnected to the upper pack of the Orion AW“beltpack/backpack” in order for the waist bag component to receive somesupport from the shoulder straps. The users who are unable to reconnectthe waist bag to the upper pack will have to take off both components inorder to reconnect them. Even if the user can reconnect the waist bagand the upper pack components without removing them, the user will findthat the waist bag is not positively connected to the upper pack in sucha way as to prevent some independent movement or wobbling of thecomponents with respect to each other.

Furthermore, the Orion AW “beltpack/backpack” looks like an obviouscombination of a waist bag and a backpack and therefore appears to besomewhat “gimmicky.” It may draw attention that may be unwelcome for astreet photographer.

Accordingly a need exists for a carrying system that provides theprotection and carrying capacity of a backpack but also provides a meansfor deploying equipment from the backpack for use by the wearer of thebackpack without having to remove the backpack.

In particular, a need exists for a carrying system having a backpackthat allows the bearer to immediately access desired items in thebackpack without removing the backpack, and then to easily return thedesired items to the backpack.

In particular and in addition, a need exists for a carrying systemhaving a backpack that allows the bearer to immediately access desireditems in the backpack without removing the backpack, and then to returnthe desired items to the backpack, without the bearer having to engagein gymnastics in order to accomplish these actions.

Furthermore, a need exists for a carrying system that provides theadvantages of both a backpack and a waist bag.

In addition and furthermore, a need exists for a carrying system thatprovides the advantages of both a backpack and a waist bag that willlook like a backpack when the waist bag of such a system is not deployedto the front of the bearer.

In addition and finally, a need exists for a carrying system thatcombines the advantages of both a backpack and a waist bag, and alsopermits the waist bag to be rotated back to the backpack.

SUMMARY

The invention satisfies these needs by providing a carrier system thathas cooperating backpack and waist bag components that can be operatedwhile being worn by a bearer or user so as to permit the bearer todeploy a receiver of the waist bag to the anterior side or front of thebearer and to return the receiver to a position coincident with thebackpack so that the backpack and waist bag support each other as in aregular backpack with waist belt and shoulder straps.

The invention therefore provides a backpack and waist bag carryingsystem comprising a backpack comprising a bag portion defining a firstcompartment for receiving articles, the bag portion comprising aback-contacting wall, and shoulder straps for supporting the bag portionon a bearer's back; a waist belt operatively connected to the backpackbelow the bag portion; and a receiver supported by the waist belt,whereby the bearer may move the receiver about the bearer's waist inorder to shift the receiver from below the bag portion to the front ofthe bearer.

In one exemplary embodiment, the carrier system of the inventionprovides a backpack that has a space or compartment in the lower orlumbar region of the backpack that can release* contain the receiver ofa waist bag when the belt of the waist bag is secured around thebearer's waist so that the bearer can rotate the waist bag about thebearer's waist to the anterior side of the bearer while the bearer iswearing the backpack on his or her posterior side or back.

In another exemplary embodiment, the carrier system of the inventionprovides a backpack and a waist belt supporting a receiver arranged sothat while the bearer is wearing the backpack on his or her posteriorside or back the receiver may be moved with respect to the waist beltfrom below the backpack to the anterior side or front of the bearer.

Ojects of the Invention

It is an object and advantage of the present invention to provide acarrying system that combines the advantages of a backpack and a waistbag.

Another object and advantage is to provide a carrying system thatprovides the protection and carrying capacity of a backpack but alsoprovides a means for deploying equipment from the backpack for use bythe wearer of the backpack without having to remove the backpack.

Another object and advantage is to provide a carrying system having abackpack that allows the bearer to immediately access desired items inthe backpack without removing the backpack, and then to easily returnthe desired items to the backpack.

Another object and advantage is to provide a backpack with a rotatingreceiver of a waist bag that can be easily deployed to the bearer'sfront or anterior side and easily returned to the bearer's back orposterior side without having to remove the backpack.

Another object and advantage is to provide a system that is acombination of a backpack and a waist bag that fully supports the weightof the waist bag receiver when the waist bag receiver is deployed to therear of the bearer.

Yet another object and advantage of the invention is to provide a systemthat is a combination of a backpack and a waist bag that firmly securesthe waist bag receiver to the backpack when the waist bag receiver isdeployed to the rear of the bearer so that the waist bag will not wobbleand is fully controlled.

Another object and advantage is to provide a system that is acombination of a backpack and a waist bag that looks like a backpackwhen the waist bag receiver is deployed to the rear of the bearer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome more fully apparent from the following detailed description ofpreferred embodiments, the appended claims, and the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the right side of a preferredembodiment of a backpack with waist bag carrying system according to theinvention shown being worn by a human bearer in a first configuration inwhich the receiver of the waist bag is deployed inside the backpack;

FIG. 2 is a is a perspective view from the right side of the preferredembodiment of a backpack with waist bag carrying system of FIG. 1 shownbeing worn by a person in a second configuration in which the receiverof the waist bag is deployed in front of or on the anterior side of thebearer;

FIG. 3 is a front side view of the preferred embodiment of a backpackwith waist bag carrying system of FIG. 1 in the first configuration inwhich the receiver of the waist bag is deployed inside the backpack; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the backpack with waist bag carryingsystem of FIG. 3 taken along plane 4-4 as indicated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is perspective view of the backpack element or portion of thepreferred embodiment of a backpack with waist bag carrying system ofFIG. 1, the waist bag element or portion not being shown so that thecompartment in the backpack that receives a receiver of the waist bagmay be shown;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the waist bag element or portion of thepreferred embodiment of a backpack with waist bag carrying system ofFIG. 1, shown apart from the backpack element or portion;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the waist belt element or portion of the waistbag shown in FIG. 6, showing a portion of the system for detachablyconnecting the waist bag element to the backpack element of thepreferred embodiment of a backpack with waist bag carrying system ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a cross-section of the waist belt shown in FIG. 7 taken alongplane 8-8 as indicated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the waist belt shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the waist belt shown inFIG. 7 showing a portion of the system for detachably connecting thewaist bag element to the backpack element of the preferred embodiment ofa backpack with waist bag carrying system of FIG. 1, in which the hookmaterial is fully exposed;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of the waist belt shown inFIG. 7 similar to that shown in FIG. 10 in which the hook material ispartially exposed;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a portion of the waist belt shown inFIG. 7 similar to that shown in FIG. 10 in which the hook material iscompletely covered;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view from the right side of a second preferredembodiment of a backpack with waist bag carrying system according to theinvention shown being worn by a human bearer in a first configuration inwhich the receivers of the waist bag are deployed underneath thebackpack;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view from the right side of the preferredembodiment of a backpack with waist bag carrying system of FIG. 13 shownbeing worn by a person in a second configuration in which the receiverof the waist bag is deployed in front of or on the anterior side of thebearer

FIG. 15 is a front side view of the preferred embodiment of a backpackwith waist bag carrying system of FIG. 13 in the first configuration inwhich the receivers of the waist bag are deployed underneath thebackpack; and

FIG. 16 is a back side view of the preferred embodiment of a backpackwith waist bag carrying system of FIG. 13 in the first configuration inwhich the receivers of the waist bag are deployed underneath thebackpack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, a first preferred embodiment of abackpack with waist bag carrying system according to the invention isindicated generally by reference numeral 1.

The backpack with waist bag carrying system 1 comprises two cooperatingcomponents: a backpack 10 and a waist bag 100. The backpack 10 has a bagportion 12 defining a first or upper compartment 18, and a loweropen-sided compartment 95 that receives the waist bag 100, therebyproviding an operative connection between the waist bag 100 and thebackpack 10. The bearer may wear the combination of the backpack 10 andthe waist bag 100 just as he or she would wear a normal backpack whenthey are in the first configuration shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4.

In the first configuration, the backpack 10 will support the waist bag100 and the waist bag 100 will support the backpack 10. The backpack 10has shoulder straps 80 and 82 that support the bag portion 12 of thebackpack 10 on the back or posterior side of the bearer and, in thisfirst configuration, the receiver 110 of the waist bag 100, by providingsupport from above. The waist bag 100 has a waist belt 180 encirclingthe waist of the bearer that will support the receiver 110 of the waistbag 100 and, in this first configuration, the bag portion 12 of thebackpack 10 on the back or posterior side of the bearer, by providingsupport from below. Once the receiver 110 of the waist bag 100 rotatesinto the backpack 10, the receiver 110 in combination with the waistbelt 180 can support all or part of the weight of the backpack 10. Thismeans that the bearer can loosen the shoulder straps 80 and 82 so thatthe weight of the backpack 10 is supported on the waist belt 180 and istherefore supported on the hips of the bearer.

The receiver 110 of the waist bag 100 may be withdrawn from theopen-sided compartment 95 in the bag portion 12 of the backpack 10,while the backpack 10 is worn on the body of the bearer, and rotatedfrom under the bag portion 12 (and thus the posterior or rear side ofthe bearer) to the anterior or front side of the bearer, as in thesecond configuration of the backpack 10 and the waist bag 100 shown inFIG. 2. In this configuration the bearer will have access to thecontents of the receiver 110 of the waist bag 100 without having toremove the backpack 10. The waist bag 100 will remain operativelyconnected to the backpack 10.

The bearer can shift or rotate the waist bag 100 back to theconfiguration shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 when desired without removingeither the backpack 10 or the waist bag 100. In this configuration, thebackpack with waist bag carrying system 1 may be removed from the bearerand carried, such as by hand, as one unit (as in FIG. 3, in which thebackpack with waist bag carrying system 1 is shown by itself and notattached to a bearer). In this respect the backpack with waist bagcarrying system 1 operates and may be used like any known backpack withwaist belt.

The user or bearer may wear the backpack 10 and the waist bag 100separately, if desired.

Apart from the open-sided compartment 95, the backpack 10 shown in FIGS.1-5 is like conventional backpacks or rucksacks in that the backpack 10has a body contacting wall 20 and a generally opposed and parallelnon-body contacting wall 30 joined by right and left side walls 40 and50, a top wail 60, and a bottom wall 70. (In this specification, theterms right and left as used with respect to the backpack 10 and waistbag 100 refer to the bearer's right and left when the backpack 10 andthe receiver 110 of the waist bag 100 are worn on the bearer's posteriorside or back.) The body contacting wall 20 is also joined to thenon-body contacting wall 30 by a middle wall 90 that is generallyparallel to and disposed between the top wall 60 and the bottom wall 70.

The backpack 10 in the first preferred embodiment is generally dividedinto an upper or superior part 14 that comprises the bag portion 12 anda lower or inferior part 16. The upper part 14 is generally above themiddle wall 90. The lower part 16 is that portion of the backpack 10that is generally below the middle wall 90 and will be adjacent thelumbar portion of the bearer's spine when the backpack 10 is worn on thebearer's back.

The, upper part 14 is formed by the body contacting wall 20, thenon-body contacting wall 30, the right and left side walls 40 and 50,the top wall 60, and the middle wall 90. These walls together define thefirst or upper compartment 18. The upper compartment 18 is accessed viaan opening in the top wall 60, the right side wall 40, and the left sidewall 50 that is reversibly secured by a zipper 19.

The lower part 16 of the backpack 10 is comprised of the body contactingwall 20, the non-body contacting wall 30, the bottom wall 70, and themiddle wall 90 that define the open-sided compartment 95. The lower part16 is the part of the backpack 10 that is adjacent the bearer's lumbarregion and waist The right and left side walls 40 and 50 do not extendlower than the middle wall 90. The open-sided compartment 95 istherefore open on the right and left of the lower portion 14 of thebackpack 10.

Right and left flaccid supporting members or shoulder straps 80 and 82are provided for supporting the backpack 10 when the backpack 10 is wornon the bearer's back. Each of the shoulder straps 80 and 82 is attachedat opposed ends thereof to the backpack 10 at the top and bottom of thebody contacting wall 20 and so disposed that the shoulder straps 80 and82 will each cross over one of the bearer's shoulders when the backpack10 is worn on the bearer's back or posterior side. The shoulder straps80 and 82 in the currently preferred embodiment have a conventionaltwo-part design in which an upper padded strap portion is linked to alower unpadded strap portion 86 by a slider buckle 84.

The waist bag 100 shown in FIGS. 1-4 is like conventional waist bags inthat it has a receiver 110 that has a body contacting wall 120 and agenerally opposed and parallel non-body contacting wall 130 joined byright and left side walls 140 and 150, a top wall 160, and a bottom wall170 that define an internal compartment 112. In this embodiment the bodycontacting wall 120 does not actually contact the body of the bearerbecause it is attached to a waist belt 180 that contacts the body of thebearer. It will be understood that the term “body contacting” means“closest to the body of the bearer” and “non-body contacting” means“side furthest from the body of the bearer.” In the embodiment shown inthe U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/676,257 that isincorporated by reference, the receiver is part of the waist belt,rather than being attached to an outside surface of the waist belt, andhas a body contacting side that actually contacts the body of the bearerwhen the waist belt 180 is rotated as described below.

The internal compartment 112 of the receiver 110 is accessed via anopening at the juncture of the top wall 160, the body contacting wall120, the right side wall 140, and the left side wall 150 that isreversibly secured by a zipper 114.

The receiver 110 is attached, such as by sewing, to a belt 180 having abuckle 182 that is intended to be worn about the waist of the bearer inthe manner of a conventional waist belt. The bearer can move thereceiver 110 of the waist bag 100 from the anterior to the posteriorside of the bearer, and vice versa, by rotating the waist bag 100 byhand generally about the longitudinal axis (essentially the spine) ofthe bearer's body. Loosening the belt 180 at the buckle 182 beforerotation is recommended so as to reduce friction between the bearer'swaist and the belt 180 during the rotation movement. The buckle 182shown in the drawings is a conventional side release design andcomprises two releaseably mating components that also permit adjustmentof the circumference of the belt 180 when the buckle 182 is closed, sothat the bearer can loosen or tighten the belt 180.

The receiver 110 is sized and shaped to be received in the compartment95 of the lower or inferior part 16 of the backpack 10. The lower part16 is the part of the backpack 10 that is adjacent the bearer's lumbarregion and waist.

The preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings has areceiver 110 of the waist bag 100 that has a generally square crosssection. The compartment 95 in the backpack 10 likewise has a generallysquare cross section. The body contacting wall 120, the non-bodycontacting wall 130, the top wall 160, and the bottom wall 170 havedimensions that allow the receiver 110 to fit within the compartment 95snugly enough to place the body contacting wall 120, the non-bodycontacting wall 130, the top wall 160, and the bottom wall 170 inproximate contact with, respectively, the body contacting wall 20, thenon-body contacting wall 30, the middle wall 90, and the bottom wall 70that form the open-ended compartment 95 of the lower part 16 of the bagportion 12.

The body contacting wall 120, the non-body contacting wall 130, the topwall 160, and the bottom wall 170 of the receiver 110 preferably havehorizontal or left-to-right dimensions that generally correspond tothose of the body contacting wall 20 and the non-body contacting wall 30of the backpack 10. Accordingly, the right and left side walls 140 and150 of the receiver 110 are generally flush with the right and left opensides of the compartment 95 when the receiver 110 is centered in thecompartment 95. The receiver 110 will fill up the compartment 95 withoutappreciably projecting beyond the compartment 95 or the backpack 10. Inthis configuration the carrying system 1 will appear to be a backpack toall but the more discriminating observer and thus will lack a “gimmicky”look. It also will be noted that in this configuration the receiver 110will be supported by the backpack 10 with no wobbling or relativemovement between the receiver 110 and the backpack 10.

In this configuration, the configuration of the backpack with waist bagcarrying system 1 shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the receiver 110 of thewaist bag 100 is centered in the compartment 95. The belt 180 of thewaist bag 100 surrounds the waist, generally above the hips of thebearer, and acts as a waist belt for the backpack 10. This configurationof the backpack 10 and the waist bag 100 is similar in appearance andoperation to a conventional backpack with waist belt.

In the second configuration of the backpack with integral rotating waistbag 1, shown in FIG. 2, the bearer has pulled the receiver 110 of thewaist bag 100 out of the compartment 95, preferably after loosening thebelt 180 at the buckle 182 so that the belt 180 will not resist themovement by rubbing against the bearer's waist, and rotated the receiver110 of the waist bag 100 to the bearer's front or anterior side. It willbe noted that the waist bag 100 preferably is worn over the shoulderstraps 80 and 82 so that the shoulder straps 80 and 82 do not preventrotation of the waist bag 100 by interfering with the movement of thereceiver 110.

The more detailed structure of the preferred embodiment of a backpackwith integral rotating waist bag 1 is shown in the sectional view ofFIG. 4. In general, the preferred embodiment of a backpack with integralrotating waist bag 1 shown in the drawings is made of pieces of fabricand straps, buckles, foam padding, and stiffening sheet material sewn toeach other in a conventional manner. The body contacting wall 20 isshown to comprise a layer of foam padding 22 overlying the stiffsheeting 24 that goes on to extend through three generally right-anglebends to form a component of the bottom wall 70, a lower or inferiorpart 32 of the non-body contacting wall 30, and the middle wall 90.

The stiff sheeting 24 (preferably made of high density polyethylene (PE)board sheet material) provides a rigidity that is useful for serving asa frame sheet in the body contacting wall 20. A frame sheet providessome rigidity to the bag portion 12 and helps control the load carriedby the backpack 10.

The stiff sheeting 24 also provides some rigidity to the other walls 70,32, and 90 surrounding the compartment 95. The rigidity should besufficient to retain the shape of the compartment 95 whether or not thecompartment 95 contains the receiver 110. The walls of the compartment95 might sag if they were not somewhat rigid, especially if the backpack10 contains a load in the compartment 18, and thus the walls might tendto interfere with both removal of the receiver 110 from the compartment95 and re-insertion of the receiver 110 into the compartment 95. This isparticularly the case when the backpack 10 is being worn on the bearer'sback. The bearer will be able to return the receiver 110 to its place inthe compartment 95 (or remove it) more readily if the compartment 95retains its shape for receiving the receiver 110.

The receiver 110 is retained in the compartment 95 partly by frictionand is secured in the compartment 95 by the attachment of hook material230 borne in the waist belt 180 to complementary loop material 200 borneby the backpack 10 inside the compartment 95. The hook material 230 andthe loop material 200 is provided as desired to retain the receiver 110in the compartment 95 so that the receiver 110 does not unintentionallyemerge from or shift in the compartment 95. The hook material 230 andthe loop material 200 are part of a system or means for detachablysecuring the receiver 110 in the compartment 95 that is explained inconnection with FIGS. 5-12. The securing means may be readily activatedor de-activated by the bearer while wearing the backpack 10.

FIG. 5 shows the backpack 10 by itself and without the waist bag 100.The wall 26 is a lower part of the body-contacting wall 20 that adjoinsand faces the compartment 95 and, in this embodiment, is generallyparallel to the lower part 32 of the non-body contacting wall 30. Twoloop materials 200 are attached, such as by sewing, to the inside of thewall 26 and facing into the compartment 95. In this embodiment the loopmaterials 200 are sheet like as in the well-known hook-and-loop materialcombinations. The loop materials 200 are mounted over semi-cylindricalfoam inserts so that they form “bumps.” The “bumps” protrude into thecompartment 95. The loop materials 200 therefore will protrude intowindows formed in the waist belt 180 to engage and fasten to the hookmaterial 230 mounted therein, as will be explained below.

FIG. 6 shows the waist bag 100 with the receiver 110 mounted on thenon-body contacting side or sheet 189 of the waist belt 180. FIG. 7shows the waist belt 180 with the receiver 110 removed. FIG. 8 is across-section of the waist belt 180 taken on the plane 8-8 as shown inFIG. 7. FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the waist belt 180 showing itsconstruction. These drawings show how the hook material 230 is mountedin the waist belt 180 and the system used to separate the hook material230 from the loop materials 200 mounted in the backpack 10.

The cross-section in FIG. 8 and the exploded view in FIG. 9 show thecomponents of the waist belt 180. A body contacting sheet or fabricpanel 192 lies over a foam sheet 183. Next is a first inner sheet orfabric panel 185 followed by a sliding flexible but stiff “releaser”panel 220 above a second inner sheet or fabric panel 187 to which isattached the hook material 230. A stiffener sheet 188 is mounted behindthe hook material 230 that is mounted on the second inner sheet orfabric panel 187. Next is the non-body contacting sheet or fabric panel194.

The body contacting sheet or fabric panel 192, the first inner sheet orfabric panel 185, the second inner sheet or fabric panel 187, and thenon-body contacting sheet or fabric panel 194 are sewn to each other attheir peripheries in manner known to those of ordinary skill in the artto which this invention pertains. The webbings 184 and 186 are also sewnto this assemblage. The webbings 184 and 186 support the buckle 182 (notshown in FIGS. 6-9). Overlapping windows 190, 183A, and 185 are formedin the body contacting sheet or fabric panel 192, the foam sheet 183,and the first inner sheet or fabric panel 185, respectively, to permitaccess by the loop materials 200 to the hook material 230.

The releaser panel 220 and the stiffener sheet 188 are preferably madeof PE board stock. The releaser panel 220 has windows 222 formed in itfor permitting access by the loop materials 200 to the hook material230. The releaser panel 220 is intended to be moved inside the waistbelt 180 so as to alternately expose or cover the hook material 230 asillustrated in FIGS. 10-12. A handle 210 preferably made of webbing isattached, such as by sewing, to one end of the releaser panel 220. Loopends 212 and 214 protrude through slots 226 formed in the non-bodycontacting sheet or fabric panel 194 so that the bearer may grasp andpull on one or the other of the loop ends 212 and 214 in order to movethe releaser panel 220 back and forth as shown in FIGS. 10-12.

The windows 222 formed in the sliding flexible but stiff panel 220 areshaped so that one side is arcuate or shaped like a bow or a broadspearhead in order to better separate the loop materials 200 from thehook material 230 when the releaser panel 220 is advanced across thehook material 230 as shown in FIGS. 10-12. The bearer therefore caneasily secure or release the receiver 110 in the compartment 95 bypulling on the loop ends 212 or 214, respectively.

The first preferred embodiment of the invention could be modified in anumber of ways. For example, the tunnel-like compartment 95 could beopened up by removing the lower part 32, of the non-body contacting wall30, leaving the wall 70 as a shelf. Other means for securing thereceiver 110 below or in the bag portion 12 of the backpack 10 might beused that will permit the waist bag 100 to rotate below and with respectto the backpack 10 while maintaining an operative connection between thewaist bag 100 and the backpack 10 so that the shoulder straps 80 and 82will be able to provide support to the waist bag 100 and the waist belt180 will provide support to the backpack 10 at least when the receiver110 of the waist bag 100 is underneath the bag portion 12 of thebackpack 10, while being worn by the bearer. In addition, when in thesame configuration, the backpack with rotating waist bag carrying system1 may be removed from the bearer's body and carried by one hand as asingle unit. In other words, the bearer will be able to pick up thebackpack with waist bag carrying system 1 by pulling up on one of theshoulder straps 80 or 82 or by a carrying grip strap (not shown) of awell known type attached to the upper part of the bag portion 12 and thebackpack with waist bag carrying system 1 will rise and be carried as asingle unit.

A second preferred embodiment of a backpack with waist bag carryingsystem according to the invention is indicated generally by referencenumeral 300 in FIGS. 13-16. This embodiment of a backpack with waist bagcarrying system 300 provides a backpack 310 attached to a waist belt 330that supports two receivers 320A and 320B.

The backpack 310 is of a generally conventional design and has a bagportion 311 attached to shoulder straps 340 and 342. Access to a firstcompartment in the bag portion 311 of the backpack 310 is by means of azipper 312, similar to the arrangement described in connection with thebackpack 10 of the first embodiment 1.

The receivers 320A and 320B have the same general construction as thereceiver 110 discussed in connection with the first embodiment 1 of abackpack with waist bag carrying system described above. A difference isthat the receivers 320A and 320B may be moved with respect to the waistbelt 330. The receivers 320A and 3208 are each attached on a bodycontacting side to means for securing them to the waist belt 330 thatpermit the receivers 320A and 3208 to slide or move along the waist belt330 so that the bearer may move the receivers 320A and 320B frompositions that are behind him or her (or adjacent his or her lumbarregion) as shown in FIG. 13 (FIGS. 15 and 16 show the same configurationwithout the bearer being included in the drawings) to positions in frontas shown in FIG. 14, and vice-versa.

The means for securing the receivers 320A and 320B to the waist belt 330shown in the drawings is the system described and claimed ininternational application PCT/US2005/034036 and published asWO/2006/034421, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.The receivers 320A and 320B are each attached on a body contacting sideto a sleeve 324 that wraps around the waist belt 330 and is secured byhook and loop strips at its end 326 to the body of the receivers 320A or320B. Other means for securing the receivers 320A and 320B to the waistbelt 330 are acceptable if they permit the receivers to move along orslide longitudinally with respect to the waist belt 330.

As is perhaps best seen in FIG. 16, the waist belt 330 is operativelyconnected to the backpack 310 by a loop 350 made of webbing. The loop350 contains a buckle 352 and is attached at an upper end 354 to thebody contacting wall 314 of the bag portion 311 of the backpack 310. Thewaist belt 330 may be released from the backpack 310 if desired byopening the buckle 352. Other means for attaching the waist belt 330 tothe backpack 310 may be employed as long as the receivers 320A and 320Bmay be accommodated under the bag portion 311 of the backpack 310.

When the receivers 320A and 320B are slid underneath the backpack 310 aconventional backpack configuration is established so that the waistbelt 330 supports both the receivers 320A and 320B and the backpack 310and the shoulder straps 340 and 342 support both the backpack 310 andthe receivers 320A and 320B. The receivers 320A and 320B may be deployedto the front side of the bearer and then returned to a positionunderneath the backpack 310 while the bearer is wearing the backpack 310and waist belt 330. The bearer does not need to remove either thebackpack 310 or waist belt 330 to move the receivers 320 A and 320B tothe position he or she prefers.

As noted above in connection with the first embodiment, the secondembodiment will maintain an operative connection between the waist belt330 and the backpack 310 so that the shoulder straps 340 and 342 will beable to provide support to the receivers 320A and 320B and the waistbelt 330 will provide support to the backpack 310 at least when thereceivers 320A and 320B are underneath the bag portion 311 of thebackpack 310, while being worn by the bearer. Once the receivers 320Aand 320B are rotated beneath the backpack 310, the waist belt 330 cansupport the weight of the backpack 310. This means that the bearer canloosen the shoulder straps 340 and 342 so that the weight of thebackpack 310 is supported on the waist belt 330 and is thereforesupported on the hips of the bearer.

In addition, when in the same configuration, the backpack with waist bagcarrying system 300 may be removed from the bearer's body and carried byone hand as a single unit. In other words, the bearer will be able topick up the backpack with waist bag carrying system 300 by pulling up onone of the shoulder straps 340 and 342 or by a carrying grip strap (notshown) of a well known type attached to the upper part of the bagportion 311 and the backpack with waist bag carrying system 300 willrise and be carried as a single unit.

The user or bearer may wear the backpack 310 and the waist belt 330(with receivers 320A and 320B mounted thereon) separately, if desired.

Of course, many versions of the second embodiment are possible. Forexample, only one receiver may be provided. The connection of thebackpack 310 to the waist belt 330 could be rigid or even fixed.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with the preferredembodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit theinvention to this embodiment or its particular manner of construction,materials or components. On the contrary, the invention is intended tocover alternatives, modifications and equivalents that may be includedwithin the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

1. A backpack and waist bag carrying system comprising: a backpackcomprising a bag portion defining a first compartment for receivingarticles, the bag portion comprising a body contacting wall, andshoulder straps for supporting the bag portion on a bearer's back; awaist belt operatively connected to the backpack below the bag portion;and a receiver supported by the waist belt, whereby the bearer may movethe receiver about the bearer's waist in order to shift the receiverfrom below the bag portion to the front of the bearer.
 2. The backpackand waist bag carrying system according to claim 1 wherein the shoulderstraps and the waist belt may cooperate with each other in supportingboth the bag portion and the receiver when the receiver is below the bagportion.
 3. The backpack and waist bag carrying system according toclaim 1 further comprising means for detachably securing the receiver tothe backpack.
 4. The backpack and waist bag carrying system according toclaim 3 in which the means for detachably securing the receiver may beoperated by the bearer when the bearer is bearing the backpack on thebearer's back.
 5. The backpack and waist bag carrying system accordingto claim 2 wherein the receiver is connected to the waist belt and thewaist belt is rotated around the waist of the bearer in order to shiftthe receiver from below the bag portion to the front of the bearer. 6.The backpack and waist bag carrying system according to claim 5 in whichthe body-contacting back-contacting wall further comprises a lowerportion that extends below the bag portion to a lumbar region of theback of the bearer when the backpack is borne on the back of the bearer.7. The backpack and waist bag carrying system according to claim 6 inwhich the lower portion of the body-contacting wall extends between thewaist belt and the lumbar region of the back of the bearer when thebackpack and waist bag carrying system is borne by the bearer.
 8. Thebackpack and waist bag carrying system according to claim 6 furthercomprising a bottom wall attached to the lower portion of thebody-contacting wall for supporting the receiver when the receiver islocated below the bag portion.
 9. The backpack and waist bag carryingsystem according to claim 8 further comprising a non-body contactingwall attached to the bottom wall and extending upwardly to the bagportion, the body-contacting wall, the bottom wall, and the bag portionthereby forming a second compartment sized to accommodate the receiverwhen the receiver is located below the bag portion and having at leastone side open to permit entry and exit of the receiver.
 10. The backpackwith waist bag carrying system according to claim 9 wherein the receiveris sized so as to not substantially protrude from the open-sidedcompartment when the receiver is contained in the open-sidedcompartment.
 11. The backpack and waist bag carrying system according toclaim 2 in which the waist belt is operatively connected to the backpackbelow the bag portion and the receiver is slidably supported by thewaist belt so that the bearer may move the receiver longitudinally alongthe waist belt in order to shift the receiver from below the bag portionto the front of the bearer.
 12. The backpack and waist bag carryingsystem according to claim 11 further comprising a strap extending belowthe bag portion for attachment to the waist belt.
 13. The backpack andwaist bag carrying system according to claim 12 in which the receiver isa first receiver and is mounted on the waist belt on one side of theconnection of the waist belt to the backpack and further comprising asecond receiver mounted on the waist belt on the other side of theconnection of the waist belt to the backpack, whereby the bearer maydeploy the first and second receivers longitudinally along right andleft sides of the waist belt in order to shift the first and secondreceivers from below the bag portion to the front of the bearer.
 14. Abackpack with integral waist bag, comprising: a backpack having shoulderstraps and defining a first compartment in an upper portion of thebackpack and a second compartment in a lower part of the backpack, thesecond compartment having openings on right and left sides of the lowerpart of the backpack; and a waist bag comprising a receiver attached toa waist belt, wherein the waist belt extends through the secondcompartment so as to encircle a bearer's waist when the backpack is wornon the bearer's back and wherein the receiver has a cross-sectional sizeand shape generally matching that of the second compartment andreleasably containable therein, whereby the bearer can rotate the waistbag around the bearer's waist, when the backpack is worn on the bearer'sback, from a first position in which the receiver is contained in thesecond compartment and adjacent the bearer's back to a second positionin which the receiver is adjacent the front of the bearer.
 15. Thebackpack with integral waist bag according to claim 14, in which thebackpack comprises a body contacting wall, a non-body contacting wall, atop wall, a middle wall, and a bottom wall, the body contacting wall andthe non-body contacting wall being spaced from and facing each other andjoined to the top wall, the middle wall, and the bottom wall whereby thetop wall and the bottom wall are spaced from and on either side of themiddle wall; a bag portion comprising right and left side walls attachedto the top wall, the middle wall, and an upper portion of the bodycontacting wall and an upper portion of the non-body contacting wall, todefine the first compartment; the middle wall, the bottom wall, and alower portion of the body contacting wall and a lower portion of thenon-body contacting wall defining the second compartment that is open tothe exterior of the backpack on right and left sides of the backpack;and the shoulder straps being provided on the body contacting wall ofthe backpack and adapted to be hung over a human bearer's shoulders. 16.The backpack with integral waist bag according to claim 15 in which thelower portion of the body contacting wall, the lower portion of thenon-body contacting wall, the middle wall, and the bottom wall aresubstantially rigid so as to maintain the shape of the secondcompartment. 17-25. (canceled)
 26. A backpack and waist bag carryingsystem comprising: a backpack comprising a bag portion defining a firstcompartment for receiving articles, the bag portion comprising a bodycontacting wall, and at least one shoulder strap for supporting the bagportion when on a bearer's back; a waist belt operatively connected tothe backpack; and a receiver supported by the waist belt, wherein thewaist belt and the receiver comprise a waist bag and wherein thebackpack and the waist bag are adapted to permit the bearer to move thereceiver about the bearer's waist in order to shift the receiver frombelow the bag portion.
 27. The backpack and waist bag carrying systemaccording to claim 26 wherein the backpack and the waist bag are adaptedto permit the bearer to rotate the receiver about the bearer's waistwhile wearing the backpack on the bearer's back in order to shift thereceiver from below the bag portion to the front of the bearer.
 28. Thebackpack and waist bag carrying system according to claim 26 wherein thewaist belt is operatively connected to the backpack below the bagportion.